Taming Of The Wolverine 2: Life Or Death
by Annastesia LaFayette
Summary: Logan is racing against time to save his Marie, but is he making the right choices or is he going insane?
1. Prologue

**_A/N:_**_Internal conversation between Logan and Wolverine are denoted with an asterisk (*) when Wolverine is speaking_

**Prologue**

A year had passed since Logan left his heart behind. He had missed out on buying the house by mere hours as another couple put the down payment and signed the papers before he got to the realitor's office.

It wasn't his fault really, it takes a lot to resurrect a person, who on paper, had been dead for over a hundred years. Fortunately, he had friends to help him with getting false IDs and a digital paper trail to bring Mister James Howlett back from the grave.

He went back to the cage fighting circuit, stashing away his winnings for the next house he might buy. Next time he'd be ready with cash in hand and ID's to not be cut out of the deal.

He had checked his post box in Colorado to find there was no letter from Marie. Leaving the post office in a complete daze that his love hadn't written to him, he practically dropped over from a heart attack when he looked up and saw his Marie standing beside his truck.

The beast in his head uncharacteristically jumped around like a teenage girl with a celebrity crush.

_*Oh my God! Oh my God! She's here! Mate Marie! I told you I smelled her! Oh my God!_

_Calm down boy. Geez! You act like you just saw Hugh Jackman or something. Chill._

_*Oh my God! Eeeek!_

Logan sauntered over to her and gave a slight nod of his head. "Marie." His voice husky, controlled, and showed no sign of surprise whatsoever.

She looked up at him through her lashes. "Logan."

He tilted his head to the side. "You getting in or not? I got shit to do tonight, places to be, and don't have time for a lengthy conversation."

"Yeah, yeah. I'm getting in."

XXX

The crowd was roaring as Logan gave a hard hit to his opponent, knocking him unconscious. While the ring attendants scurried in to collect the poor victim, the announcer's voice over the loudspeaker rang out as he held up Logan's arm. "Winner of this round...The WOOOLVERIIIINE!"

Logan swaggered around the ring, swaying his hips, and flexing his muscles for the ladies. Logan knew how to put on a good show for his audience, generate louder cheers and get more money thrown into the pot for him.

He looked around the crowd for his precious, but didn't see her. He barley heard the announcer. "Who will be the next challenger?"

He grabbed his bottle of beer and gave a long pull as he pointed a finger, moving a slow circle around the ring in a silent dare to any man in the audience to step up, all the while still scanning for his Marie.

The words were almost lost on him as the announcer continued. "Ladies and gentlemen...we have a special treat! First time ever! A _WOMAN_ will challenge The Wolverine!"

The crowd roared. Logan felt the floor fall beneath him. No way in hell would he fight a female! He turned to the announcer. "I ain't fight'n no woman! Tell her..." His eyes grew wide as his voice dropped an octive. "You gotta be fucking kidding me."

The announcer leaned over to Logan. "You know the rules. You take on any challenger or forfit. The pot will go to her." The announcer leered at the woman. "Hey...if you don't want to take her on...maybe I will...in my office that is."

Logan grabbed the announcer by the collar. "That's my girl! Ever look at her like that again...I'll rip out your intestines and strangle you with 'em. Got it, bub!"

"Y-Yeah...sorry, I didn't know. Hey. I don't want any domestic shit spilling over into the ring here. Whatever beef you two have needs to stay home."

"No beef. I really don't know what kinda game she's playing...just give me a sec."

Logan crossed the ring. "What the fuck you think you're doing?"

"I think I can take you." Marie said as she looked over at the big jar of money, then down to her boots. "Besides, I need a new pair of shoes."

"That money is for our house! Not for you and Jubilee to blow at the mall."

"So...you're gonna fight for it then, huh?" She smirked at him.

"Baby...don't corner me like this. Get the fuck out of the ring."

"No. Fight or forfit. Your choice."

_*Aw! Not the bitch! Let me kill bitch Wolverine-ette!_

_No. You're not going to kill anyone tonight...ESPECIALLY mate._

_*Good point. I wanna get laid too. Just let me hurt her a little. Pleeeeease._

Logan looked down at Marie's boots. They were tattered and looked like they had a few miles on them. He wondered how they got in that condition, since the cage fight was only a couple blocks from the post office, they didn't really talk. Logan wasn't bullshitting when he told Marie he didn't have time for conversation and made a mental note to ask her about it.

"Alright. No using your powers though, and no names. These assholes don't need to know our names."

"As you wish, my dear."

The announcer slithered up to them. "So do we have a fight or what?"

Logan started to walk towards his corner. Halfway across the ring he pointed his finger at Marie. "Don't think I'm gonna take it easy on you sweetheart. You wanna fight me? You better be ready to get a world of hurt."

She hollered from her corner. "Wolverine! You even _think_ about taking it easy on me and I'll show you a whole new world of hurt!"

Logan lifted his beer bottle to take a drink and hide the smirk that came on his face as he muttered. "My girl."

Over the loudspeaker the announcement came. "We have a new challenger!" He covered the microphone with his hand. "What's your name, honey?"

She whispered in his ear before he called out into the microphone. "RRRROOOOOUGE!"

The bell rang and each came out of their corners, fists up and letting out thunderous roars in attempt to intimidate the other.

XXX

As he drove, Logan stuffed the money into the envelope along with the rest of the stack as the two of them laughed. "Damn girl! Where did you learn some of those moves?" He worked his jaw side to side trying to pop it back in place.

"Ten hours a day in the danger room and watching your fights on the internet. You know you kick your left foot when you're about to come in with a right hook...right?" She rolled her neck trying to work the stiffness out where he grabbed her, lifting her into the air before tossing her like a rag doll.

"I do? Gonna have to work on that. You know you twitch your fingers when you're about to go bellow the belt. That was kinda dirty playing by the way."

"Not against the rules, besides, got you to step back so I could get you with a kick to the face."

"Shit! Baby...we need to team up. Team fighting brings in more money y'know."

She grabbed the envelope from him. "How much you got here anyway?" She skimmed her thumb over the top of the bills.

"Enough...not enough. Baby, I really want that house for us..._soon_."

She pulled the money out and peeled off a hundred dollars. Thought about it and peeled off another hundered. He snatched at the money. "Hey! I said it's for our house, not to blow at the mall!"

"It's part mine too y'know. I need some new boots."

"Yeah. What the hell happened to your boots? How did you get to Colorado? Where's your bike?"

"Bike got totaled in Kansas, walked and hitched the rest of the way."

"Fuck! What do you mean your bike got totaled? Are you alright?"

"Asshole truck driver cut me off. I swerved, hit the gravel doing 80...you can picture the rest. Yeah. I'm fine. Got your healing, remember. Road rash on my ass still hurt like a son of a bitch though."

"Language. Aw poor baby got a boo-boo on her ass? Want daddy to kiss it and make it better?" He laughed.

"Mmm...I might like that." She reached over and grabbed between his legs.

He jerked the wheel from the surprise assault to his crotch. "Fuck Marie! We're on the goddamn freeway!"

"Language." She quipted back.

"Fuck you."

"Yes please."

"Aw shit!" He jerked the wheel, tires screeching as he whipped the truck into the parking lot of a hotel they were about to pass.

Several hours later he laid panting, covered in sweat, mouth dry. Between pants he called out. "Yeah. You go buy them boots. Shit! After that, I'm gonna buy you a Harley. Damn you're a beast in the sack!"

She giggled and rolled herself on top of him. "Wanna go again?"

He rolled his eyes up and dropped his head to the pillow. "Oh fuck! What monster did I create?"

She giggled. "I believe you named it Wolverine-ette."

"Well...guess only one way to fight a beast is with another beast." His dark eyes flashed as they turned a bright amber. "Now you deal with Wolverine. I'm taking a nap."

(The beast jerked his head up.) _*What? Wait? Really? FUCK YEAH!_

_Don't kill her. Remember...mate._

_*Yeah, yeah. No kill mate Marie. Go to sleep now. I got this._

Logan woke the next morning to find Marie cuddled in his arms, completely frayed and spent.

_Hey Beastie. What the fuck did you do to her?_

_*Hmm? Oh that. Yeah. Maybe you got her best cherry...but I got her OTHER cherry._

_You didn't!_

_*Oh yeah!_ (Wolverine started singing) _"She's my cherry pie! Put a smile on your face ten miles wide! Looks so good, bring a tear to your eye! Sweet cherry piiiie!"_

_And she LET you?_

_*Let me? Hell she pretty much begged me!_

(Logan groaned) _Fuck! Next time WAKE ME UP! Damnit._

XXX

The pair spent the next two years criss-crossing the country riding the cage fighting circuit. The two always put on a good show when they were in the ring. Rouge's prowless became something of legand and after putting a few women in the hospital, she was left with fighting the men.

Before each bout, Logan would survey the crowd. If he thought they were too rowdy, he'd make a special point to hold, kiss and grind Marie to get the message across that she was his and any man that tried to cop a cheap feel would pay dearly. A few men tried. A few men got hurt...bad. If Wolverine didn't get them, Rouge did.

They finally had enough to buy the house in Washington State outright. No morgatge hanging over their heads and free to live without fear of someone coming for Logan as he stayed low, changed his appearance and kept his beast under wraps.

To the town they resided in, they were Mister and Misses James Howlett from Alberta, Canada. Quiet, nice, hard working, salt of the earth, normal couple.


	2. Chapter 1

**A/N:**_In my first installment, I commented that it would probably be the only X-Men fic I'd write...well guess what?__I just couldn't let this one go and a part 2 came to life. Hope you enjoy. Reviews are always welcomed._

**Taming Of The Wolverine 2: Life Or Death**

**Chapter 1**

The pound of a single heartbeat rang in his ears like a large taiko drum.

_THA-THUMP_

He was behind the steering wheel of his truck when the flash of a camera caught his eye. He turned and smiled at her. "Oh. You wanna play huh?" He grabbed at the digital camera as she giggled. Turning the camera onto her, he snapped off several pictures as she smiled or made funny faces.

_THA-THUMP_

He looked over to the passenger seat and enjoyed the view of her streched out, crop-top shirt cut just enough to cover her breast, Daisy Duke shorts showing off her silky legs and bare feet hanging out the window as she slept. He eased the camera up and snapped off a quick picture.

_THA-THUMP_

They were in the shower as the water sprayed on their bodies. She was pinned to the shower wall, her legs wrapped around him as he thrust into her hard, over and over, while she groaned out his name.

_THA-THUMP_

They were in the hotel bed as she straddled him, driving herself onto him as he moaned and ran his hands along the curves of her body.

_THA-THUMP_

They were in the truck, fingers pointing, hands flailing as they yelled angerly at each other.

_THA-THUMP_

She stood on the side of the road with a suitcase as the truck started to speed off, coming to a screeching halt a few hundred feet away. He pounded at the steering wheel and punched his fist against the roof as he let out noises of frustration. He opened his door and got out of the truck.

"You coming or not?" He yelled so she could hear him over the distance.

She stood for a moment before slowly picking up her suitcase and walking towards the truck, slowly of course.

He stomped towards her, grabbing the suitcase and slinging her over his shoulder as he carried her to the truck. "Goddamn pain in my ass." He muttered.

_THA-THUMP_

A few hundred miles of silence before he reached over and brushed the hair away from her face. "I'm sorry honey. I love you."

She softly smiled at him. "I'm sorry too. I love you."

He stopped the truck on the side of the rual back road they were on, leaning over to kiss her.

_THA-THUMP_

The truck rigorously rocking back and forth as the old springs squeaked and creeked as he let out a loud growling moan. "Oh God yes!"

_THA-THUMP_

He grinned as she pushed the gold ring onto his finger. His stupid grin never left his face as he leaned down to kiss her.

They ran from the the Las Vegas wedding chapel, hand in hand as he still wore the stupidly grin.

_THA-THUMP_

He gulped as the keys were being dropped into his hand. "Congratulations on your new home." The man said

_THA-THUMP_

He hoisted her into the air, spinning and smiling. "Really? Are you sure? Really?" He lowered her down and embraced her tightly. "I love you darlin' you just made me so happy!"

_THA-THUMP_

He rubbed his hand over her swollen belly. "You're getting so big." He said softly.

"Are you saying I'm fat?"

"No! I would never say that!" He smirked at her. "Ok. You're fat."

"_Logan!_" She slapped playfully at his arm as he chuckled.

_THA-THUMP THA-THUMP_

He jumped from his forklift, looking at his boss for a clue as the boss handed him the phone.

_THA-THUMP THA-THUMP_

He ran passed his bewildered co-workers.

_THA-THUMP THA-THUMP THA-THUMP_

He ran through the white halls past the people dressed in scrubs and white lab coats.

_THA-THUMP THA-THUMP THA-THUMP THA-THUMP_

He screamed out as several people dragged him away from the door. "No! Let me see her! No! Marie! Marie! _MARIE!_"

_THA-THUMP_

XXX

His eyes snapped opened and he bolted up in the hotel bed covered in sweat, the screams of her name still echoing in his mind. "_MARIE!_" He screamed out to the room.

He looked over to find he was in the bed alone. He gave a long sniff of the air, followed by several short sniffs trying to get the scent of something that, deep down, he knew wasn't there.

He staggered out of bed, running a hand down his face to get the sweat off as the glass whiskey bottles clackked together when his foot hit one of them. He staggered to the dresser, looking at himself in the mirror. This would not do. He couldn't go to see her like this. Hungover, hair a mess and a face that hadn't been shaven in how many weeks? No. She can't see him like this.

After he got himself together, he looked in the mirror once more. Clean shaven, hair combed, a nice clean, pressed shirt, dress jacket, and clean jeans. She fell in love with his burly, scruffy self, but he discovered that on the occasions when he did look "gussied up", it was a _huge_ turn on for her. He would "gussy up" for her today. This dreadful day.

He stood at the cemetery, flowers in hand as he looked down at the headstone.

_Here lies Anna Marie Howlett. Loving wife and mother._

The engraved generic image of a mother holding a baby to her face made him choke back his tears. "I miss you darlin'. Oh God Marie, this past year has been the worst. I never needed someone as much as I needed you, and now you're gone. I've tried so hard to be with you, but this damned curse won't let me. I failed you. I'm so sorry honey. I'm sorry I failed you. I'd give anything to trade places with you."

He leaned down and put the flowers on the headstone, feeling the cold marble against his face as the sobs came out in waves.

After some time in his grieving, he started to walk around the town. The sound of children playing caught his attention as he walked towards the sound. He soon found himself at a park and sat on the bench, watching the children play. He chuckled as a couple boys chased a screaming girl around with a bug they had found. "Boys." He muttered as he shook his head.

A woman sat down next to him. She had dark hair and eyes, mid thirties, somewhat attractive and a sweet smile that would bring Zeus to his knees. "Which one is yours?" She asked.

"Huh?"

"The kids. Which one is yours?"

"Oh. Uh. None of them. I was just watching them."

She gave him a strange sideways look.

"Oh. Uh. No. I mean. Uh. I heard the kids playing and just thought I'd watch them a while. Shit. That didn't sound any better did it?" He let out a breath. "Let me start over, from the beginning. You see, today is a bad day for me. My wife, she died a year ago today. I was just at the cemetery visiting her. She uh...when the accident happened...she was...uh...five months along."

"Oh! I'm so sorry. That's so tragic. I'm so sorry for you. I-I didn't mean to-"

"That's ok. You didn't know. A strange guy watching some kids in the park. Sad to say, this day and age, gotta watch out for the young ones real close."

"Do you mind if I ask how?"

"They said it was a gas leak. She got home and when she opened the door... I was at work at the time. I shoulda been there. I coulda saved her. Coulda saved them both."

"You could have just as easily been killed too."

He smirked. "No. Not me. Uh, I woulda smelled the gas. Always did have a sensitive nose."

"Gas leak? You don't mean that Howlett house do you?"

"Yeah. That's the one. What do you know about it?"

She shrugged. "Just what I heard on the news. Story ran for several weeks, it was a pretty tragic thing to happen around here. They said the wife was...you know, but they never said anything about a baby."

"I told the news people to leave that part out." He stuck out his hand. "James Howlett."

She took his hand and shook it. "Sandra Cole. The blonde one there is mine, his name is Christopher."

"Ah. The one that chases girls around with bugs. Watch out for him. He's gonna be a spitfire when he gets older."

"He already is. So tell me something. What happened to you after...you know."

"Couldn't stay around here any more. Just kinda been drifting the past year. Came back today to see her, let her know she's not forgotten, let her know how much I still love her, let her know I'd give anything to change what happened."

"Would you now? So tell me this, Wolverine, if you could go back in time to save her...would you?"

Shock and confusion came across Logan's face. "How did you...who the hell are you?"

"I told you, Sandra Cole. Didn't anyone teach you that it's impolite to answer a question with a question?"

"Yeah? Here's another question for ya. What d'ya want?"

"Same thing you do. Change the course of history. Save Rouge."

"What the fuck? Who the hell _are_ you? How do you know these things?"

"Here's my card." She handed him a business card as she stood. "Think it over, Mr. Howlett, and call me if you want to bring your wife and child back." She started to walk away as Logan looked the card over.

"Hey! You forgot something! Your kid!"

"I don't have any children, Mr. Howlett." She called back as she kept walking.

"Son of a bitch." He muttered.

XXX

He got back to the hotel room and looked at the card again. "Tritium Incorporated. Hmm." He grabbed his laptop and googled _Tritium Inc._ and found nothing. "Who the hell are these people?"

He picked up the digital camera he'd been holding onto and scrolled through the pictures. Him driving. Her sleeping with her bare feet hanging out the window. Him streched out on a bed, arm behind his head and a piece of a fat stogie hanging from his mouth, her cross-eyed sticking her tongue out, him making some kind of silly face, her smiling sweetly, him..._HOLY SHIT! When the hell did she take that? Please Lord, don't let that be on the internet somewhere!_ More smiling and silly faces, smiling couple selfies, more candid pictures of their short time together. Her showing off her pregnant stomach. The last picture taken with that camera. A single tear escaped his eye.

_*So...you gonna call them?_

_SHIT! Don't do that! Haven't heard a peep out of you in months! Thought you was finally gone._

_*Me? Gone? I'm a part of you. How could I be gone? Just been as depressed as you I guess._

_Thought you'd have a party getting rid of her._

_*Hey! Fuck you! I loved Marie too ya know! I miss her as much as you do!_

_Yeah? And what about Wolverine-ette?_

_*Meh. She wasn't so bad once I got used to her. Marie was better at keeping the bitch on her chain than you are at keeping me on mine, which you haven't checked my chains in a while by the way. How do you know I haven't slipped them?_

_Truthfully, I don't care if you have._

_*Hmm...maybe this does call for a celebration then._ (Wolverine singing) _"They're Pinky and the Brain. Pinky and the Brain. One is a genius, the other's insane." Hey...did anyone ever figure out which one was the genius and which one was insane?_

_Pinky was the genius and Brain was insane...that's my take on it anyway. Why the fuck are we talking about a dumbshit cartoon? Wolverine? Are you still drunk?_

_*Maybe a little. Maybe you just finally lost your last marble. I dunno. Anyways...we gonna do this "change history" shit or not?_

_I'm thinking._

XXX

He walked into the office of Tritium Inc. to find Sandra Cole smiling at him. "Took you longer than I expected. I thought my phone would start ringing before I got to the car."

"Yeah, well...I'm still trying to figure out what the hell is going on, who you are and why you're doing this. I want answers and I want them now. No bullshit double talk either."

"Ok Logan. You deserve that. You see, I'm actually from the future. Eighteen years from now. Your wife, Rouge, she wasn't supposed to die. Someone from my time came back here...last year to be exact, and made that explosion happen. I'm here to fix that and restore history to what it should be. To save the future."

"Why? Why would someone from your time want to kill Marie?"

"It wasn't necessarily about killing Marie...it was more to prevent her from having your child."

"_WHAT!?_ You mean...they were after my baby? What kind of sick bastard would kill a pregnant woman?"

"Like I said, there wasn't anything in the news, which would include future knowledge, that said she was pregnant at the time. More than likely, the person who did this, thought that they were getting to her before the pregnancy could happen."

"But why? What does my child have to do with any of this?"

"Ten years from now, things will happen, things that will shape the course of your son's life, things that he will carry with him into adulthood and make him the man he is to become, things that will allow him to do what he is supposed to do to change the world for mutant-kind."

Logan got a smirk on his face. "Son. I was gonna have a son."

Sandra cocked a brow. "You didn't know?"

Logan shook his head. "We were still deciding on that. We were actually starting to lean towards not knowing, you know, let it be a surprise. You say my son will do things for mutants? So he will be...uh...would have been...?"

"Yes. Your son was born with very special gifts. Your strength, healing abilities and a beastly temperament. Her ability to kill with a touch and the demeanor to keep his beast under control."

Logan slumped his shoulders. "You mean my boy can't touch...or be touched by anyone? Damn. Marie struggled so hard with that. I can't tell you how many nights I heard her crying herself to sleep because of that, before she learned to control it. I never told her this, but even when she was still in the children's wing of the mannor, I could hear her sobs. Broke my heart every time."

"I didn't say that. He has a natural ability to turn it on or off at will."

"Yeah? Really? That's a good thing then. So...what's this life altering event that makes him change the world for the better?"

"I can't tell you that. I can't give you too many details, even if you chose to go back and save them, you'll still have your memories of this timeline, coexisting with the memories of the timeline that should have been. Telling you too much may inadvertently change something...perhaps make things worse."

"Then maybe it's best to leave things as they are. Let them rest in peace."

"Didn't you understand me? He was supposed to be born. Leaving things the way they are now, he won't be around to make things better. This timeline, this is wrong, this is the worst seniero."

Logan paced for a moment. "What exactly will he do to make things better?"

"He will help bring mutants together as one, unite them in a common cause."

"Yeah? And what cause is that?"

Sandra shook her head. "I can't tell you that, Logan. It could contaminate the timeline."

Logan continued his pacing as he thought. "How does this work? How do you send me back?"

Sandra smiled at him. "Come with me, I'll show you."

She led him to a room with a medical bed in the center surrounded by medical equipment and a large machine that took up most of the room. "I created this machine that will transport you back in time, take you back to the day of the accident where you will be able to save her."

"Then what?"

"If you are successful, you will live out your life as if the accident never happened. If you fail, you will be brought back here and we will try again, as many times as it takes to achieve a successful outcome."

"So...there will be two of me then? If I go back?"

"No. When you transport back, this you, the one here now, will be transferred into the body of the you in the past. The only difference is, you will retain the memories of this timeline and the knowledge of what will...did happen in order to do what must be done to save her and your baby."

Logan gave it more thought. "My boy. What's his name?"

"If you're successful...you'll find out soon enough." She smirked.

Logan gave a hard nod of his head. "Alright. Let's do this then." He said as he laid on the bed.

As the other staff was hooking up the monitors to him, Sandra explaining that it would monitor his breathing and heartrate, the beast inside statred singing again. Slowly and with an eerie beat.

_*They're Pinky and the Brain. Pinky and the Brain. One is a genius, the other's insane._

The machine hummed to life. Logan heard the sounds of crackling, felt his body tingle with electricity and gasped in a deep breath.

_THA-THUMP_


	3. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

Logan's eyes snapped open. "Shit!" He jerked the wheel of his forklift, avoiding hitting one of his co-workers and crashing his lift into a stack of boxes instead.

He looked down at his watch. Five minutes before the accident. He jumped off his lift, heading towards the office as his boss was coming towards him. "Jimmy! What the hell is wrong with you? You almost hit Keith! Where the fuck are you going?"

"Gotta make a call!" Logan shouted over his shoulder.

He ran into the office and punched in the numbers on the phone as his boss came in behind him. "You can make your phone call on your break. Get your ass back to work."

Logan listened as the phone on the other end continued to ring. "It's important!" He slammed the receiver down when the voice message picked up. "Damnit!" He dialed again and listened to the ringing. "Come on Marie! Answer the damned phone!"

"Jim! What's wrong?" His boss asked as Logan again slammed the phone down and dilaling a third time.

"No time to explain." The third time he got the voice message, he spoke into the phone. "Marie honey! I'll explain later. Please...whatever you do...don't open the door! DON'T OPEN THE DOOR! Stay away from the house. I'm on my way home. STAY AWAY FROM THE HOUSE!"

He slammed the phone down. "Ted...I gotta go."

"Jim, you can't just leave in the middle of your shift. What the hell is going on?"

"I don't have time to explain. I got to get to Marie! She's in trouble! I gotta help her!" He rushed pass his boss, throwing his gear into his locker and grabbing his keys. Just as he got to his truck, he heard Ted yelling for him.

"Jimmy! Jimmy wait!"

He turned to see the boss running towards him. "I told you I don't have time! I gotta go!"

Ted caught up to him and placed a hand on his arm. "Just got a call...oh God Jimmy! I'm so sorry...how did you know?"

_THA-THUMP_

XXX

Logan's eyes snapped open as he took in a gulp of air, looking around at the medical equipment and large machine in the room. "Shit! Shit! Shit! No! Not again! There wasn't enough time!"

Sandra looked down at Logan. "You failed."

"No shit I failed! There wasn't enough time! Send me back again. Send me back earlier so I have more time."

"Alright, calm down Logan, keep the beast chained. We'll send you again in a few hours aft-"

"No! Now! Send me now!"

"Logan! We have to reset the equipment and your body needs time to adjust. We will send you back, I promise. We'll do this as many times as it takes, but it will take time between each attempt. I need you to be patient. The past will still be there."

"Will you be able to send me back earlier? A couple hours, a couple days? I didn't have enough time to save her."

"Time travel is a precise business, Mr. Howlett. We can only do this in increments. If we attempt an earlier time too soon, without the precision perimeters, we could inadvertently send you back to a time before Rouge was even born, and in your case, before a time her parents were even born. Why don't I have one of my staff take you to the cafeteria to get something to eat while we make the adjustments to the equipment." She gave him her Zeus-crumbling smile.

Feeling defeat, he slowly nodded as one the the staff gestured for him to follow.

After eating, and the equipment adjusted, once again Logan laid on the medical bed. "How long will I have this time?"

"I don't know, Mr. Howlett. Longer than the last time. It could take several trips before we get this right. Just stay calm and don't give up."

"I ain't giving up. I'll never give up on my Marie, even if it takes a hundred years...I'll never give up." He reached up and rubbed at the gold ring that accompanied his dog tags as his beast once again started singing in the same eerie manner.

_*Pinky and the Brain. Pinky and the Brain. One's a genius, one's insane._

He gulped in a lungful of air.

XXX

His vision focused as he looked down on the half eaten sandwich in his hand while other men around the table laughed. "Didn't you get it, Jimmy? Then she said, "that doesn't go there!" Funny, right?"

Logan gave a half-hearted chuckle. "Yeah. Good joke." He dropped his sandwich onto the table and looked at his watch. Thirty minutes. He might...just might have enough time. "Shit! Where's Ted?"

"Dunno. Lunch I guess. What's wrong?"

"Tell him I had to go. Tell him it's an emergency with Marie."

"Marie? She ok? Is the baby ok?"

"No! Tell him I had to leave! I'll call later to explain." Logan called over his shoulder as he rushed out, grabbing his keys and phone from his locker.

Logan got to his truck and hit the speed-dial to Marie's number. He sighed in relief when he heard her voice answer. "Honey. I don't have time to explain, I'm on my way home, but I need you to stay away from the house. Don't go in the house."

Her voice crackled, cuting in and out. "Lo...going on?... Can't...hou...? Problem?"

"Marie honey, you're breaking up. Where are you?"

"On my way...store...now."

"You're at the store? Ok. Which store? Stay there and I'll come get you."

"No. I said...Logan, what's...my way..."

He heard the beeping that the call had been dropped. "Fuck! Shit!" He hit the speed dial again as he sped the truck up.

She answered. "Logan? What's...?"

He jerked the phone away from his ear as loud static rang through. "Marie? Darlin' can you hear me? Marie? Marie? Honey don't go home. Wait until I get there. Honey? Can you hear me?"

He heard the beep of an incoming call. He clicked over to the call waiting. "Marie? Is that you?"

"No. It's Ted. What the hell do you think you're doing leaving work like that? You needed to come find me. You know I could fire your ass right now and have someone else to take your place in an hour."

"Look, it's Marie. I didn't have time to find you. I got to get home. I'll call you later to explain, but right now I got to get to Marie, ok?"

"Alright Jimmy, but this better be good or you'll be looking for another job."

"Yeah, yeah. Hey Teddy! Do me a favor, I'm having trouble staying connected with Marie. Call her from the landline and tell her I said not to go in the house. Tell her I'm on my way home and wait for me. Tell her to go next door to the Henderson's and stay away from the house."

"The house? What's so important about-?"

The phone beeped again. "Shit. Got another call, might be Marie. Just call her and tell her what I said."

"Yeah. Ok."

Logan clicked over the call waiting again. "Marie?"

He threw the phone across the truck when he heard the automated message. _"This is your cellphone provider calling. We would like you to take a short survey telling us about your experience with your service." _

Simultaneously Logan and his beast proclaimed. "Fuck you!" _*Fuck you!_ His adamantium claws sprang out and jammed through the phone.

Marie was driving, singing to a song on the radio when her phone rang. "Hello?"

She heard Logan's frantic, broken voice and static. "Logan? What's going on? I can't understand you. What did you say about the house? Is there some sort of problem?"

"I'm on my way home from the store. Did you say you're coming home now?"

"No. I said I'm almost home. Logan, what's going on? I can't understand you. I'm on my way home. Be there in a minute."

She heard the beep that the call had been dropped. "Damnit!" Before she had a chance to call Logan, her phone rang. "Logan? What's going..." She jerked the phone away as her ear got a blast of static.

She tried a few times to call Logan, but the call wouldn't go through. She dropped the phone into her purse as she pulled the car into the driveway.

Grabbing her purse and a couple bags of groceries, she fumbled with her keys as she walked up to the door. Dropping her keys, leaning down to pick them up, her phone rang. Trying to retrieve the phone from her purse, juggling the bags of groceries and putting the key into the lock, she shouldered the phone to her ear. "Hello? Logan?" She turned the key and opened the door.

Logan jerked the wheel, turning onto the street where they lived. The tires squealed when he slammed the breaks after hearing the explosion and seeing a large ball of fire bellow into the sky. "_MARIE!_" He stomped the gas pedal and raced the two blocks to the house, jamming the breaks as he saw his Marie laying in the middle of the street.

He jumped out of the truck running to her as neighbors began coming out of their houses. He skidded to the ground next to her, grabbing her hand as he looked at her face. He wondered why she wasn't starting to heal as she gasped for breath.

He desperately pushed her hand to his face. "Marie, darlin' take my healing. Darlin' please. Take it. Take it all. Darlin' please."

She looked up at him with dazed and unfocused eyes. Gasping for air, she whispered out. "T-Too late. Logan, I l-love you." Her face slacked and her body went limp.

He pulled her up, holding her to him in his arms. "No! Marie! Marie! No!"

_THA-THUMP_

XXX

He waited the time it took to make the adjustments to the machine. As he laid back on the bed, he looked over at Sandra. "It has to work this time. I don't know how many times I can bare to lose her. It has to work."

"We're sending you back earlier, hopefully this time, you'll get to her." She smiled at him.

(Wolverine started singing.) *_Pinky and the Brain. Which one's insane?_

_Why do you keep singing that song?_

_*Don't know. I find it kinda odd myself, but I can't help it. This Cole bitch is giving me the willies for some reason. _

As the machine started to hum, Wolverine sang. _*Pinky and the Brain. Pinky and the Brain. Pinky and the Brain._

_THA-THUMP_


	4. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

Logan heard the bell that indicated it was time for lunch break. He looked at his watch, forty-five minutes. He ran to Ted. "No time to explain. Gotta go to Marie. Call you later." He ran off before Ted had time to say anything.

He got to the house in time to see her walking up the driveway, groceries in her arms. She jumped and dropped one of the bags as she spun around towards the sound of squealing tires.

Logan jumped from his truck running towards her. "Marie! Stop!"

"Logan? What's wrong?" She was stunned when Logan knocked the other bag from her hands and grabbed her in a bear hug embrace.

"Oh God Marie! Oh my God! It's you! I got you this time baby! Oh God, oh God!"

She looked up at him, still confused as she saw the tears swell in his eyes. "Logan. You act like you haven't seen me in a year. What's wrong with you?"

"I haven't seen you in a year! Baby...I know you won't understand this right now, and I promise I'll explain everthing, but we need to get out of here. There's a gas leak and the explosion will kill you."

She leaned down to pick up the groceries that had scattered on the ground. "Sugar...have you finally lost it? What are you talking about?"

"Forget about the fucking groceries! Let's just go! The gas!"

She blinked at him. "Do you smell any gas? 'Cause I don't."

He sniffed at the air. "What the hell? No. I don't smell any. But they said the explosion was a gas leak."

She cocked her head to the side. Quietly, sadly she said. "Maybe it's time I call the Professor. Logan honey, we all knew this day might come."

"No. No, honey, I haven't lost my mind. Ok, I have. But there's some strange shit going on, you won't believe me when I tell you, just hear me out and keep an open mind. Can you do that for me...kid?"

He hadn't called her "kid" in years. This got her attention. "Yeah. I guess. What's going on?"

He blew out a breath. "A year ago. Well...not a year...today. You, our baby...both of you died. It happened when you opened that door." He pointed to the front door of the house. "They said it was a gas leak and when you opened the door, it caused a spark that ignited the fumes. Marie honey...I've been lost this past year without you. If only I had been here, you wouldn't have died. That's why I'm doing this, that's why I came back. To save both of you."

She eyed him for a moment then pulled her phone out of her purse. "I'm calling Charles."

"N-No. Honey. Just go next door. Let me open the door. If nothing happens...then you can call Charles."

"Logan. I don't need to go next door. There's no gas. Everything is fine. Baby...let's just go inside, get you a cold glass of water, then figure out what to do."

"No! I can't let you open that door! I can't let you be near this house!" He grabbed the keys from her. "Go next door! _NOW!_"

He walked up to the door, sniffing around to pick up on any strange scent that might be there. Not finding any, his mind began to race. Maybe he was losing it. He cocked a brow, without looking he muttered. "Marie. Please just for once do as I ask without the drama. Go next door."

She put her hand on his shoulder and spoke quietly. "Logan, sugar. Everything is fine. I don't need to go anywhere."

Something about the lock caught Logan's eye. He wasn't sure what it was, it just seemed off. He glaced around to make sure none of his neighbors were watching before un-sheathing a claw. He worked the plate until it popped off, catching it in his hand, exposing the red, blue, green and yellow wires attached. He cocked a brow at Marie.

Marie looked at him in shock. "Logan? What is that?"

"You know as well as I do what it is. Now...will you please go next door?"

"Yeah. Yeah, I'll go next door." She sputtered out in shock.

"Hey darlin' give me your phone." Logan reached out for her to put it in his free hand before she turned to run to the neighbor's house.

He diled in a number, actually happy to hear the voice on the other end. "Hey Scott, it's Logan. / Yeah, yeah. Listen, I don't have time for that. What do you know about defusing a bomb? / Come on Scott! I don't need the shit right now. I'm standing in front of my house, holding a bomb in my hand. / No, I'm not joking! Can you help me or not? / Yeah. Marie's safe next door. / I know I can survive an explosion, but I'd rather defuse it...I like my house. / Well...it's got wires and attached to the lock. / Does it have a what? What the fuck is that? Never mind. Hold on."

He lowered the phone, took a picture and hit the send button. Holding the phone back to his ear. "You get the picture? / Ok. Good. What do I do? / _GOOGLE IT?_ What do you mean you have to Google it? Is that shit even on Google? / You gotta be fucking kidding me! Maybe I should tell Cole to send me back to the 1800's where it's safe. / Never mind that. What if I just cut all the wires at once?"

He jerked the phone away when Scott screamed. "NO!"

"Ok, Ok. Geez...don't have to blow my eardrum out! / Ok. Red wire first. Got it."

He cut the wires in the order Scott told him. Once the last wire was cut, he let out the breath he didn't realize he was holding in. "Shit Scott. Thanks. I owe you big for this. / Yeah...I know I owe you for more. Give Jean a kiss for me and Marie. Talk to you soon."

XXX

She sat on the couch while he paced the floor. "Ok. Look. This is gonna sound way, way, waaay out there, but here's the deal. I came back from the future, a year from now."

She blinked at him. "So...you're not my Logan then?"

"I am. My future self was transferred into my past self, but I still remember what will happen...at least what woulda happened if I didn't get to you in time, but that's changed now and what will happen from this point on will change too."

"So, what did happen? I mean...before you got to me in time?"

"Darlin' the first time, the original time, I got a call at work that there was an accident. I went to the hospital...but it was too late."

"First time? How many times did this happen?"

"Four. This was my third trip. After the first time...I was lost. I spent the past year in a drunk haze, not giving a shit about anything or anyone...especially myself. A year to the day, A woman approached me and gave me an offer I couldn't turn down. She was the one that sent me back to save you."

(Wolverine started singing) _*_Pinky and the Brain. Sure you're not goin' insane?

_What the fuck?_

Marie blinked at him. "Why would she do that?"

"She said that you being killed was wrong. Someone made it happen. Marie, at the time, I was told that there was a gas leak and that's how the explosion happened, but now we know different."

She shook her head, still confused. "Why? Why is someone trying to kill me? After all this time, what did I do to warrant that?"

He sat on the couch next to her and put his hand on her stomach. "They wasn't after you darlin', they was after him. He's gonna do something when he grows up to make things better for people like us, bring us all together so we don't have to hide or run anymore. Someone from the future doesn't want that to happen."

"Then they could come back and try again. Couldn't they?"

"Yeah. I already thought of that. We're gonna have to leave here baby. We're gonna have to go very low and change our names again. Maybe head back to Canada. Mountains, backwoods, no internet, no phone, no jobs, completely off the grid and out of sight, we'll be roughing it. You willing?"

"Logan...before I put that ring on your finger, I told you. Where you go, I go. You're stuck with me bub."

Logan grinned at her. "My girl."

The phone rang and Logan got up to answer it. "Hello? Shit! Teddy!"

"Jimmy! What the fuck was all that about? I been waiting for you to call me. You better have a damned good explanation!"

"Yeah. Look, uh Marie was in trouble and needed me. Look, I think I need a few days off work."

"Oh shit James. Is Marie ok? The baby?"

"Yeah...everybody's Ok now. Sorry I ran out on you like that, but...uh..."

"Jim. Just answer this for me. How did you know Marie needed you? There wasn't a phone call to the office, and your cell was in your locker at the time. How did you know?"

"I uh...I just...uh. Well you know what they say about expecting fathers. Right?"

Ted blew out a breath. "Look, Jim, you been working here almost a year. I ain't gonna lie. I seen some shit and I don't care, you're one of my best dock workers and that's all I really give a fuck about. You're a mutant, ain't you?"

"Uh..."

"What can I do to help?"

"Teddy...I think I'm gonna have to leave here, like right away. Someone put a fucking bomb on my house."

"Holy fuck! Ok. Look, what do you need? Cash? A way out? Name it, me and the guys are here for you."

"The less people that know about this the better. My last check...think you can cut it for me now?"

"Yeah...no problem. I'll have it for you in cash, along with the sick days you never took. But seriously...how did you know about Marie? Seeing things one of your powers or something?"

Logan laughed. "No. Not one of my powers. If you really want to know, come over after work and I'll give you a demonstration. Might want to get some adult diapers...you'll shit yourself. Bring some beer too."

"Sure Jim. I'll bring the beers, you just cook my steak right this time, don't burn it to a crisp like last time."

Logan laughed. "Anything you say Teddy. See you tonight. Hey...thanks man."

"Anytime brother. Tonight."

XXX

Logan's eyes snapped open. He looked down to find Marie cuddled in his arms and gave a tight squeeze. "I love you darlin'." He whispered.

_*Hey. Somethn' ain't right. You might wanna give a sniff around._

_Whadaya mean? We have our Marie back. All is right with the world. Go back to sleep._

_*Seriously. Give a sniff._

Logan sniffed at Marie then at the room. It was the scents he expected, everything normal. He sniffed some more and caught something wafting from the living room. He couldn't put his finger on it, but he had to admit, the beast was right, something was off.

He gently got out of bed and went into the living room, sniffing in the scent as it got stronger. His adamantium claws sprang forth when he saw the shadow of a figure sitting on the couch. "Who are you? How did you get in here?" He growled out.

"Logan. It's me." The recognizable voice responded.

He flipped the light switch and damn near fainted when he saw her. She looked diffrent. Older, more grey in her hair, lines around her eyes, a face that showed a rough life, but the scent was the same. The scent would never change.

_THA-THUMP_


	5. Chapter 4

**A/N:**_I added an extra paragraph to this chapter. After reading it again, I felt more explaination was needed about their son. It doesn't change the base storyline, just an added explaination._

**Chapter 4**

His heart pounded, his body shook. "M-Marie? H-How? W-What?" He looked back and forth between her and the bedroom a few times in shock and confusion.

"It's me darlin'. Good to see you again. I missed you."

"What the fuck is going on? Who...who..."

She got up and stood close in front of him. "Logan, honey. It's really me. Twenty-five years from now, but it's me." She gave him a kiss that only his Marie could give him.

(Wolverine sang) _*Pinky and the Brain. We both gone insane._

"What the hell? What? Why? What the hell?"

"Come with me, I'll explain everything.

She took his hand and led him to the backyard so they could talk without waking the sleeping Marie.

"This is going to be hard for you to hear, but that day...the explosion...I was supposed to die. You coming back, saving me, saving us, was wrong. I was supposed to die that day."

Logan shook his head hard. "No. No. No! Saving your life is never wrong! No! You're not her. Who are you...really?"

"Logan...baby. It is me."

"No. You're some kinda clone. Some kinda way to trick me. Make me think you're her. You're not really her!"

She let out a breath. "You rode a horse to school. You left a box of rose petals in my room for me. The night we made love for the first time, when Charles gave me that serum, you told me you were scared. You said it wasn't like any of the other times, that you felt like a virgin too. A virgin of true, pure love. You love writting letters. Even after we got married and settled down, you would write long letters to me and mail them, just so you could watch me get them from the mailbox and read them. You sing in the shower and have a beautiful voice."

He never told anyone these things. It _had_ to be her. Only she would know these things. "Ok then. So what are you doing here?"

"I told you. I'm supposed to die. I came here to help you correct the mistake you made. Logan...darlin'...you have to let me die."

"Why? Why Marie? Our son, he has to be born. He will change things for us. Make things better."

"You said that after you saved me. Someone told you that, but it was a lie. Logan, sit down. This is going to be a long one."

They sat on the lawn bench as she took his hands into hers. "Logan, we left here, sold the house and went back to Canada. We thought we were safe, and for several years we were. In about ten years, shit starts to heat up in the Middle East again. World War 3 breaks out. The next war to end all wars. The governments around the world started to recruit mutants to fight for them. Some volunteer, some drafted. The American government wanted you, but James Howlett isn't a citizen of the U.S., they couldn't draft you. When they found us in Canada, they tried to recruit you. Of course you told them what they could go do with themselves."

Logan chuckled. "Yeah. I'm pretty much done with wars."

"Once they figured out you wasn't going to bend. Logan...they set you up. There was video feed, evidence, everything that pointed to you doing it...but I know it wasn't you. You were at home with me and Xavier at the time."

"Xavier?"

"Our son. That's what we named him. Xavier James Hollins."

"Hollins?"

"The last name we took when we went underground back to Canada. Will you just let me finish? Anyways, someone broke into the school, Charles' school and killed everyone. Storm, Cyclops, Jean, Charles...all of the children. They killed them all and made it look like it was you that did it. They sent S.H.I.E.L.D. agents after you. I guess they figured that since you had a wife and child, you'd go quietly."

He smirked. "Marie, have you ever known me to do anything quietly?"

"Exactly. You...we put up one hell of a fight. One of the agents broke the grandfather clock and that _really_ pissed you off."

"Hey. I love that clock. It's an antique. Reminds me of the one in the house when I was growing up."

She smiled. "I know. You told me a bunch of times how much you love that clock. Well, once they saw you wasn't going to play nice...Logan...they killed you and Xavier saw the whole thing. He was only twelve when it happened, but it effected him more than I knew. When he was fifteen, he ran away from home. Later I found him. Twenty years old, and..." She tried to hold back a sob.

"What? What happened Marie? What will he do?"

"He...he wanted to be like you. Wanted to be like his daddy. He found some people that infused him with adamantium, wiped his memory, trained him to be a...a..."

"An animal, a predator." Logan finished for her.

She nodded her head as she wiped the tears from her eyes. "He didn't even know me. Didn't know who I was. Didn't know I'm his momma. I tried, so many times I tried to get to him, but...the beast...the beast has him. Oh God Logan." She threw her arms around him and he held her tight as she sobbed.

She took a shaky breath as she continued. "Logan, Xavier is unlike any mutant we've ever seen. He can't be stopped. He is stronger and faster than you. So fast, no one dares to blink when engaged against him. He has my ability to drain the life from a person, only the slightest touch is all he needs. What makes him even more dangerous...he's blood-thirsty. He kills for the pleasure, tortures and torments his prey. His claws...God his claws! He can cut a person in half with those claws. He is everything they tried to make you...an ultimate weapon."

"Sandra told me that he would bring mutants together for a common good. Bring us all together so we could live without fear of being hunted."

She looked up at him. "Sandra? Who's Sandra?"

"Sandra Cole. She's the one that built the machine to send me back, to save you."

"Oh shit! Sandra fucking Cole! Now it all makes sense. Logan, we found evidence of a dual timeline. One timeline, the one where I died, our son is never born and the war ended in less than three years. The other time line, the one I'm in...the war has been going on for over ten years! It morphed from a Middle East problem to a mutant verses human problem. Logan, our son _does_ bring mutants together, but it's so mutants can take over the world by killing all non-mutants. What Erik and...his daughter, Sandra wanted. The few of us that are the resistance, we stand with non-mutants to fight, but we're losing. Humanity will be lost or enslaved in a few short years if I fail this mission."

"Erik? Magneto? You mean...Sandra Cole is bucket head's _daughter!?_"

"Yes. She's as determined, if not more, to take over the world in the name of mutants."

_*I knew there was something wrong about that bitch! I knew it! I knew it!_

_Hey fuck you. All you did was sing that stupid cartoon song._

_*I told you she gave me the willies._

_With you that don't mean shit._

_*Fuck you!_

_Get in your fucking cage! Go!_

Marie smirked at Logan while running her fingers through his hair. "Still arguing with Beastie huh?"

"Yeah...well..." He chuckled. "You said an agent killed me. How the hell did they do that?"

She cringed at the memory. "Adamantium bullet to the head."

"Damn. Thought about it, but didn't think it would actually work."

She crinkled her brows. "What does that mean?"

Logan lowered his head and spoke softly. "Marie, my Marie. When I lost you, I lost everything you helped me to be. I tried baby, I tried everything I could to be with you...short of chopping my own head off, but I thought about that too. I can't be in this world without you. Marie, I don't know what you're asking of me, and I'm still confused why you're here...but I can't let you die."

"Would you rather have a world where our son watches his father die and stands with Magneto to destroy humanity?"

"No."

"Then I must die. Logan, you started this time loop paradox. You're the only one that can end it. Logan, this paradox has been going on for years. Everytime you save me, after a few days, the whole cycle starts again. Someone comes back, kills me, then a year later, you save me and then...then after some time...you die. Then this whole damned thing starts over again. A paradox within a paradox. This time, I took a diffrent approach. Instead of coming to you in my past self, I've come to you in my future self, to convince you to not go back and save me."

"That's why there's two of you right now? The one here talking to me and the one up there sleeping?" He looked up at the bedroom window.

"Yes. Everytime I come to you transferred into my past self, either you don't believe me or you don't _want_ to believe me."

"You have my healing. Why didn't you heal after the explosion?"

She looked down. "I never told you. I didn't want you to worry. When it first happened, I talked to Charles and he said that it might have been a natural thing, and he was right. During the time of my pregnancy, my abilities were blocked. I couldn't use them no matter how hard I tried. After Xavier was born, they all came back. You never realized that I had temporarily lost them."

"So...whoever does this...they had to have known to get to you at that time. _FUCK!_ That bitch said there was no evidence of you being pregnant when the accident happened. That whoever did it, didn't _know_ you was pregnant."

"Another lie."

"Please tell me somebody finally got bucket head before I get in my truck and go kill him right now."

"As much as I wanted to be the one to put a claw through his heart, the bastard died in his bed of old age. Bastard."

"So...what happens now? I already saved you. Wait until I get killed and start over? How will I know what path to take?"

"No. This device." She pulled a small hand device from her pocket and gave it to him. "Will take you back to the day of the accident. It's preset to take you to the place you need to be to do what you must."

"And what is that?"

"You'll know when you get there."

He turned the device over, studying it. "Then what?"

"Once your mission is complete, you'll be transported back to the day Cole approached you. This time tell her to fuck off."

"And if I fail?"

"You'll be brought back here to try again."

"So I gotta go through all the shit of blowing off Teddy and work again?"

"No. This you will be transported, the other you will be like it was before, you'll be at work when you get a phone call. But this you...you will have a very specific task to perform and will know what it is when you get there."

He looked up at the window again. "Do I have to go right now?"

She smiled at him. "No. I think you have time for that. When you're ready, just push this button."

He walked into the bedroom, laying down next to her he gently rubbed and kissed her shoulder. She stirred and rolled over to look at him. "Logan? Everything ok?"

"Yeah baby. I love you. You know that, right?"

"Of course I know." She ran her fingers through his hair. "You look upset. What's wrong baby?"

"Nothing. Really. It's just... I love you." He kissed her passionately, rolling on top of her and making love like it was their first time.

After she went back to sleep, he stood in the living room. Blew out a breath, closed his eyes and pushed the button.

_THA-THUMP_


	6. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

His eyes opened. He was standing at the front door of the house. Logan looked around trying to find some kind of clue as to what he was supposed to do when the realization of something in his hand came to him. He looked down and instantly recognized the object with red, blue, green and yellow wires.

He looked at it for a moment and looked at the door. How? How could this be happening? How did he get this in his hand? His claw slowly came out as he gulped. Hand shaking as he slowly proceeded towards the lock.

He cocked his head to the side when he looked at the plate cover. The sudden realization of what he saw when he saved Marie came to him. What caught his eye, were scratch marks. _HIS_ scratch marks. He was the one that planted the bomb!

He ran to the side of the house and the contents of his stomach emptied into the bushes. He heaved for several moments, gasping for air. "I can't! I can't! It couldn't have been! I couldn't have done this!" He sank to his knees in a quiet sob.

_*Pinky. I think we finally lost it._

_I think you're right Brain. How could I have possibly been the one to kill Marie?_

(Wolverine whispered) _*No kill mate Marie._

_Fuck me!_

_*Fuck us both._

XXX

He gulp in air. Standing in his backyard in front of the older Marie. She shook her head. "I already know what you're going to say. It's ok. We've been through this before. Last time, it took twenty times before you finally came to your senses and did what you had to do."

"_LAST TIME!?_ Fuck Marie? How many times have we done this?"

"Couple hundred." She blinked at him.

"And we still haven't gotten it right? Fuck this! I'm done! If non-mutants aren't strong enough to survive...fuck them then. Animal law...survival of the fittest!"

"You're not an animal."

"Yes I am and you of all people know it!"

"Then I guess that still makes me the queen of England!"

"Go fuck yourself!"

Logan picked up on a low angry growl coming from Marie. His nostrils flared. Her scent had gotten stronger. She was in fight mode. His back stiffened as his own growl rumbled in his chest.

As quickly as it happened, she relaxed and tucked a lock of hair behind her ear. She always was better at controlling her beast than he was at his. She cocked a brow at him. "You're going back. Get it right this time." He saw her fingers twitch, her tell that she was going below the belt, and out of reflex he shifted sideways to protect the jewels. That's all she needed to distract him as she smacked at the device's button.

As he felt his body tingle, Wolverine proclaimed. _*Pinky and the Brain going insane!_

He was standing in front of the door...again.

_Why the fuck do you keep thinking about that damned cartoon?_

_*I don't know! I can't help it! It's driving me nuts too!_

_Ok. Ok. She left us once before. Xavier grows up to be a very bad boy. Ok. I can do this. I can do this... NOPE! Gonna puke!_

He leaned over the bushes again as he heaved.

_Can't do this. Fuck me! Fuck me! Fuck me!_

_Wolverine whimpered and slunked towards his cage to cowar._

_Hey Beastie! Get your ass out here!_

_*No._

_Come on. I'm done yelling. Come on out boy._

_*No. Go away. Leave me alone._

_I really could use your help. Please. Come on boy._

_*No. No kill mate. Don't want no part of it. No._

_Look. I don't like it either. I been a complete mess this past year. But what other choice do we have?_

_*Don't know. Who's the genius and who's insane?_

_Pinky is the genius and Br-...OH SHIT! That's why. That's why you keep thinking about that dumb cartoon._

_*Huh? What?_

_Get it? It's not about who's insane! Which one is Pinky and which one is Brain? That's what it's really about!_

_*Ok. Dude. You really did just snap...didn't you?_

_No. No. A paradox in a paradox! Fuck! How come nobody saw this? Fuck! Hold on...did you just call me "dude"?_

_*You tell me Pinky._

_What are we gonna do today Brain?_

_*Save the fucking world! OH YEAH!_

Wolverine actually howled.

XXX

He gasped in air as he stood, arms crossed over his chest. "Brain...we gotta talk."

Marie cocked her brow. "Excuse me? Why did you just call me Brain?"

"Because I'm Pinky and your Brain. You're the insane one. Maybe I started this damn paradox, but between you and Sandra...it's been the two of you that's kept it going."

"Logan. I have to die. You can't save me. Not this time baby."

"And you will die, and this paradox will end. I have a plan, but I need you to do your own time jumping for it to work. You sticking with me?"

"Where you go, I go."

"My girl." He grinned.

_THA-THUMP_


	7. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

He was led from the grave site, Scott and Ororo flanking him to keep him from crumbling. He ignored the flashes of photographers and video cameras of the press as they walked him to the black limo, trying to understand that a house explosion was big news in a town like this.

Just as they reached the car he couldn't hold his strength any longer and crumbled down to his knees as Scott tried to hold him up. "Steady James. Just get to the car."

Loudly he cried out. "No! Marie! My Marie! I can't leave her! I can't live without her! Marie!" The flashes from the still cameras frantically went off and those with video surged forward, not wanting to miss his torment.

Scott, Ororo and Jean helped him to his feet and got him in the car. He looked out the window to see Teddy and some of his co-workers that attended the funeral attempt to block the news crews from their ghoulish frenzy.

As the limo drove away, he wiped at the tears and looked at Charles. "Did you get it?"

"Yes. Here's the dossier you asked for. What do you intend to do with it?"

"Stop this whole shit. It stops now. I can't go through it again. I can't keep burying them and bringing them back to life. This time they rest for good."

Scott shook his head. "Shit Logan. How many times have you been through this?"

"I'm not sure really. The future Marie said a couple hundred. I only remember six...seven times."

"How do you know this isn't part of the loop too?" Ororo asked.

"Don't remember doing this before. Marie said it hasn't been done. This has to be the answer."

"Are you sure you want to go alone?" Charles asked.

"Yeah. I'm sure. I need to do this myself. I need to do it for Marie and my son. I should be back in New York in a couple days."

XXX

**_Los Angeles, California. UCLA _**

Logan spotted her alone walking along a path at night. She was barely twenty, dark hair and striking smile. He quietly approached her. "Sandra Cole?"

She startled at the large man behind her. "Yes. Do I know you?"

"No. Not yet. I'm sorry I have to do this, but I can't let you destroy me any more."

He quickly grabbed her close to him. Her eyes grew wide with a mix of shock, confusion, pain and fear as she felt something pound into her chest. Her mouth opened to scream out, but no sound came.

He gently lowered her to the ground as his claws retracted from her. "Shh. Shh. It'll be over in a minute." He listened intently to her heartbeat.

_THA-THUMP THA-THUMP THA-_

He waited a moment until he was satisfied that it was truly over before nonchalantly walking away.

XXX

**_Westchester, New York_**

Logan walked into his room, ready to start the next chapter of his life. Professor James Howlett at the _School for Gifted Youngsters._ His speciality, training in self-defense.

As he put his bag down and taking off his jacket, he felt arm warm arms snaking around his waist from behind and making their way up to his chest. "Miss me?" He asked cocking a brow.

"Always do." Her voice purred at him.

He turned to face her, wrapping his arms around her waist. "You get any bigger and I won't be able to put my arms around you. Are you sure there's not two of them in there?"

Marie laughed. "It's _your_ baby. He's probably going to come out six foot tall!"

Logan chuckled. "Good God let's hope not. Hate to change _those_ diapers! You ok baby?"

"Yeah. I'm fine. Something kinda creepy about watching your own funeral on t.v. though. Did you have to be so dramatic? "My Marie! I can't live without Marie!""

Chuckling he streched out on the bed. "What can I say? Always did know how to put on a good show for my audience."

She laid on the bed with him. "Are you sure it's over. I mean, the clone thing and all was a great idea, but what about the rest. Our baby growing up to stand with Magneto? And that Sandra?"

"We'll be safe here. S.H.I.E.L.D. can't get to us here. As for Sandra fucking Cole...let's just say she won't get the chance to build her little time machine."

She propped herself up to look at him. "Logan? What did you do?"

He ran his hand through her hair. "Honey, you don't really want to know what a predator does. I took care of it, let's leave it at that."

The bong of the grandfather clock got his attention. "Hey! It got here."

"Yeah. It was delivered this morning. The repair shop did a good job cleaning it. So thoughtful of you to think to send it out that morning before you had to blow up our house."

"I think it would look better in that corner." He looked at her out of the corner of his eye.

"I'm not helping you move it!"

"You got some of Jean's powers. You could just...y'know." He waved his hand to indicate levitating it.

She bit her lip.

"Unless there's something you want to tell me?" Logan looked at her with raised brows.

"Logan...I...uh..."

He hugged her tight. "Don't worry honey. They'll come back after the baby is born. Your future self told me."

She slapped at his arm _"MISTER JAMES LOGAN HOWLETT! You're so mean!"_

Logan's thunderous laughter echoed throughout the hall as those in the hallway stopped and heads popped from the dorm rooms to look around for the source of the noise.


	8. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

_THA-THUMP_

He was in the danger room working with his students when Scott opened the door. The look on Scott's face was all he needed to know.

_THA-THUMP_

He ran down the hall, yelling at the students there to move out of the way, knocking into a couple along the way.

_THA-THUMP_

He skidded into the infirmary, grabbing her hand as she laid on the medical bed screaming. "I'm here honey. It's ok, I'm here."

He looked frantically at Hank and Jean as they worked.

_THA-THUMP_

His tears ran down his face as he held Marie to his chest. "Marie. Oh God Marie. It's over now. I love you honey."

She gasped out at him. "I love you." Her eyes fluttered shut.

_THA-THUMP_

He held the small bundle in his arms as he carried it out to the waiting guest. His face beaming. "Patrick James Howlett. This is your family." He cooed to the bundle.

The crowd gathered to ohh and ahh at the baby.

"Marie?" Scott asked.

"Sleeping. She's very tired."

_THA-THUMP_

They laid in bed holding each other. "Ready to try for number two?" He wagged his brows at her.

"Logan please! I just gave birth two days ago! Let me recoupe."

He chuckled. "I guess I can hold out another day." He gave her a kiss on the top of her head.

_THA-THUMP_

He cradled his son in his arms, softly singing.

He looked over at his sleeping Marie and smiled. He had saved this scared child from the side of the road, who grew into this beautiful woman that ended up saving him.

_THA-THUMP_

He streched out on the bed, drifting to sleep. The beast in his head streched lazily and for the first time in it's exsistance, it purred with content.

_THA-THUMP_

**End.**


End file.
